


Daymares

by Inalandofmythandtimeofmagic



Category: Sanders Sides, Thomas Sanders
Genre: Angst, Charecter Death, Dark Sides, If You Squint - Freeform, M/M, Prinxiety - Freeform, Viloence, logicality - Freeform, poly sanders - Freeform, vauge suicidal thoughts
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-04-06
Updated: 2017-04-05
Packaged: 2018-10-15 06:49:19
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 4
Words: 4,044
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10551892
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Inalandofmythandtimeofmagic/pseuds/Inalandofmythandtimeofmagic
Summary: Prince's imagination gets away from him and he materializes their shadow selves





	1. Red and White

**Author's Note:**

> Hey guys this is my first official stab at Angst so let me know how I did

Something had happened. He didn’t know what, but something. He was doubled over in pain, his lungs burned and he couldn’t catch a breath. His heart was beating hard against rib cage, but it felt slowed. In fact it felt like the whole world had slowed down, like in one of those cheesy disaster movies. He didn’t understand, he’d been fine two seconds ago. Now he was certain he was dying. He pressed a hand to his stomach, where the most pain was coming from. It came away bloody. In a panic he raised his hoody and t-shirt up, staring in horror at the perfectly clean skin. In fact he couldn’t find where the blood was coming from, it was just there. He felt completely crippled by fear and pain, but when he heard the wail, the one so full of heartbreak and pain and panic that was undoubtedly Morality, he somehow managed to get his feet moving under him. He crashed through his door, half running half falling down the stairs. Logan was behind him, clutching to his sweatshirt for support and they rounded the corner together. 

At first all he could see was Morality’s back as he knelt on the floor, wracked with heaving sobs. Anxiety felt as though he was running through mud trying to get to him. Logan reached the kneeling man first, reaching out to grab his shoulder but freezing in horror before he could. The fear of the last few moments had nothing on what he felt now as he took the last step. He knew what he would see, there was only one of them unaccounted for. He fell to his knees, tears burning down his face. The love of his life lay on the floor, face sheet white and lips stained red with blood. He eyes tracked down Prince’s body to his stomach where a sword was protruding. It’s hilt was green and twisting, patterned with an exquisite scale design. Morality had wrapped the sweater that normally hung from his shoulders around the base, it was already soaked through with blood. Anxiety could feel the pain of it, felt the weakness from the loss of blood. Worst of all, worst of all he could feel his heartbeat. No longer pounding it was weak and terrifyingly slow. 

“What do we do?” Morality was asking over and over again, and each time Logan told him he didn’t know. 

“Roman?” Anxiety asked grasping his pale hand and gently cradling his head in the other. Prince’s head turned towards him but it takes his eyes a moment to focus on him. Once he knew who he was his face lifted into a ghost of his usual grin.

“Hey love,”

“What happened?”

“Oh you know. My daydream got away from me a little bit.” then he laughed which dissolved into a cough as more blood speckled his mouth. “I thought” again he was interrupted by a cough.

“It's okay I don't think you should talk.”

“No I have to tell you. I wanted to vanquish my biggest villain so I conjured up my shadow self.” Prince’s voice was weak barely a whisper now, but he kept talking despite Anxiety’s attempts to shush him. “actually all of ours, I honestly thought I could defeat them. The dark versions, our shadows, really our opposites.” he looked around at the others as he said this, but then his gaze quickly returned to Anxiety and he even tried to sit up a little. “It's okay Anx you just have,” his coughing fit was much worse this time. Blood seeped from his lips and across his white shirt. 

“Roman?” but Prince’s eyes were lifeless, his body still and no longer his. An inhuman cry was torn from his throat as he collapsed on his chest, fisting handfuls of of the dead boys clothing. The physical pain he had been feeling before was gone but this, this was so much worse. 

The next thing he felt was Thomas pulling on him, summing him into the real world.

“No”

“Anxiety I don't know what's happening, I'm so scar..” Thomas cut himself off as he looked at his side. Anxiety knew what he was seeing, the blood, the tears, the pain. “What happened?” Thomas asked on a breathless whisper.

Anxiety's mouthed opened and closed, there were no words.

 

Morality had collapsed onto Logic’s chest. His sobs were a stark contrast to Logan’s blank, shocked stare. Neither of them heard the man walk up, they never even realized he was there until he pulled the sword from their friends body. 

He was dressed in black, with a brilliant green sash and silver brocade. A crown crafted of black metal sat lopsided on his head. He sent them a smirk before casually sauntering out of the room.


	2. Instinct and Chaos

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here's the next bit hope you enjoy

The room was silent, painfully so. Thomas had gathered his three remaining sides in an attempt to figure out what to do, but he couldn’t think. Not a single idea came to mind, which made sense. His creativity was dead, his dreams and fantasies felt out of reach like he couldn’t quite remember what they were. Anxiety knew because he could feel it, they all could. Thomas’ desperation was sharpening their own grief. Even now tears were still falling silently from Morality’s eyes, and the only way you’ld be able to get Logic’s attention would be to throw a brick at him. 

“You guys called a meeting without me?” The voice was dry and bored, it didn’t match the terror it inspired in the room. Morality let out a small sound of fright, but he stepped between Prince’s opposite and Thomas, also putting himself closest to the green and black clad man. Anxiety could see Dad tremble slightly, but his chin was lifted. Anxiety was surprised how much it comforted him and when Logic took a small step forward he followed suit. “Oh calm down, I’m no threat to you.” 

“You killed our friend!” Logic shouted in outrage. 

“Only so I could take his spot, I have no need or desire to kill you.”

“Take his spot?” Thomas asked but it was rough, barely a whisper, “Who are you?” 

“Why I’m Conformity. You know, social norm, I’m here to help you by making sure you do exactly what society expects of you. Don't worry kid, with me you’ll have an office job, a wife, and 2.5 kids in no time. No more pushing boundaries, believe me kid, sacrificing your individuality for a place in society is noble.”

Anxiety bristled at the word that had for so long been reserved for Prince, even more so when he saw the acceptance wash over Thomas’ face. No. It couldn’t happen, they couldn’t let this, this thing, become a part of Thomas’ personality. Roman’s last words echoed through his head, It's okay Anx you just have, to what? Have to what?

Thomas dismissed them, it hurt to see him this way. Anxiety was drowning in guilt and grief when he remembered all the times he had wished Thomas was more “Normal”, he wished he could take back all the times he had shot down Prince’s ideas. He would do anything to take it back. 

 

He was now curled tightly against Morality’s side as they sat on his bed and watched Logan pace. 

“We could kill him.” Anxiety had had the thought before, but he was very surprised to hear it coming from Morality’s mouth. Logic nodded, considering this for a moment. 

“We could, we know it’s possible now. What we don’t know is what would happen to Thomas, could he function with just the three of us? Would it leave a vacuum to be filled by something else? Something worse?”

The what if game. It’s what Anxiety did, pretty much his whole job. Before the grief had drowned everything else out, but Logic’s words sparked a maelstrom of what ifs. 

“There’s something else you have to consider,” They jumped at the sound of the unfamiliar voice. Standing in the doorway was someone who looked unsettlingly like Dad. Were Morality wore a light blue polo this man wore an orange one with the collar popped. A purple version of Dad’s sweater was tied round his waist and in place of Dad’s glasses were a pair of retro shades. “Conformity wasn’t the only one your precious Prince brought to life.” 

“Indeed not.” Another stepped up behind him and it was obvious this was supposed to be Logic’s opposite. The sleeves of his white shirt rolled to his elbows and his deep orange tie pulled loose. “I’m Instinct, this is Chaos.” He said pointing back to Morality’s dopple. Speaking of Morality, Anx could no longer feel him pressed against his side. 

Chaos let out a maniacal laugh as he spotted Morality before Anx did. Dad was standing tall with a bow drawn and pointed right at his opposite. Instinct put a hand on Chaos’ shoulder and they both disappeared as Morality’s arrow sunk into the doorway where they had been standing. 

Anxiety gave him a shocked look and he simply shrugged. “Left over from my summer camp days. Now boys, if you have any sort of weapons I suggest you get them now.”

“I don’t have any weapons.” Logan said, appalled.

“But you know how to make poison right?”

“Um,” Logan swallowed as if he didn’t quite like where this was headed, “Yes.” 

“Perfect, I’ve got a dart gun I saved from Thomas’ childhood, you can lace the darts and use that to protect yourself.” Logic looked horrified, but who knew Dad would be so good in a crisis. It almost made Anx smirk. Almost. “What about you Anxiety?” 

“Me, I don’t “ Morality gave him a hard look, “I have a revolver.” 

“What! Why?” Logan asked, with each new revelation the logical trait had gone paler and paler, to the point that Anx was very much worried about him. He could feel the panic floating around his own edges, he began counting things trying to stay calm enough to function. Anxiety didn’t answer the question, instead he hurried to his room to fetch the gun he had hidden there. 

The week had been miserable. The three sides were inseparable, glued together by grief, fear and paranoia. They had buried Roman, Thomas had thrown away his film equipment and had several job interviews lined up. They had only run into Conformity a few times, who didn’t seem to care for them one way or the other, with the exception of Morality, who had tried to shoot him several times. Logan was still skeptical of the idea, but Anx didn’t think Logan would agree to killing anything. It still surprised him, but maybe it made sense. Logan was the one who binged nature documentaries and spent hours pondering on the mysteries of life and creation, he could see why destroying one of those mysteries would be distressing to him. More often than not the blow gun hung limply from Logan’s fingers, unlikely to ever be used. As for his own revolver, well he’d never had the courage to pull the trigger before so why should he now. Anxiety had tried to lighten the mood by reminding Dad that Thomas was a lover not a fighter. Morality had not appreciated the stab at humor and solemnly replied that Thomas was a survivor.

They had not seen Instinct but they had heard Chaos. His laugh echoed through the house always just beyond reach. They had spotted him as he flung arrows at them with a twisting purple copy of Dad’s bow. It made Anxiety nervous, if Conformity had a sword like Roman’s and Chaos had a bow like Morality, then did Instinct have a set of Incredibly lethal darts? Almost more importantly, why hadn’t they seen his own opposite?

 

They were standing in the small kitchen, Logan and Anxiety attempting to quickly make food as Morality stood guard, arrow already notched. Brought by his own hunger, Conformity also tried to enter the kitchen and was blocked by Morality once again trying to murder him. The darker prince easily dodged Morality’s amateur archery, but apparently it was the straw that broke the camel's back and Conformity drew his sword with a snarl. Anxiety felt his stomach drop as Logan took a step back, face ashen with horror. Acting on sheer reflex, Anxiety caught Conformity’s wrist before he could swing his sword down on Dad. Conformity snarled again struggling to push Anxiety off him even as he drew his revolver, pressing the barrel into the other's gut. 

Everyone’s attention was fixed. No one saw Instinct slip into the room. No one saw the dart that hit Logic’s neck. No one saw his face turn ash grey as he slowly sunk to the floor. In fact the only reasons they knew anything was wrong was the dizzy and nauseous feeling that swept over them and Logan weakly calling Dad’s name.


	3. Hope and a Savior

Morality spun around, letting loose an arrow the same moment Anxiety made himself squeeze the trigger. He stood in trembling shock, the sound ringing in his ears as Conformity slowly dissolved into a mass of grey smoke. 

“Check on Logan!” Morality screamed as he chases after the trait he had only nicked. Slowly he turned to look at Logan who lay completely still, skin looking grey. Shakily Anxiety knelt next to him, Logan’s skin was already cold and it was painfully apparent that the other was already dead. He had felt it happen. Anxiety couldn’t breath, all he could hear was the gunshot over and over, tears obscured his vision. He was so lost in his own pain that he jumped nearly three feet in the air when Logan sat up with a gasp. He stared at the other for one frantic heartbeat before he launched himself at Logic, wrapping his arms tight around his neck and tackling him back to the ground. 

“You're alive! How are you alive?” he sobbed into the other's neck. 

“I got him,” Morality said breathlessly from the kitchen doorway. He was staring wide eyed at Logan. Almost as if he couldn’t believe it. Anxiety helped Logic to stand and Morality reached out and wrapped him in the gentlest hug, as if afraid the slightest touch would shatter him. 

“Wait, If killing Instinct brought you back, then when I killed Conformity…” They all shared one horrified look with each other before they were running, sprinting, to the woods behind Roman’s mind palace. 

They raced to the spot where the bridge crossed the small stream and Anxiety slid to his knees under the willow where they had buried Prince. “Where here.” he tried to shout as he began to dig out the still freshly turned soil but his voice was rough, barely a shaky whisper. 

“We are here, we’re going to get you out.” Morality said loudly and there was an answering thud.Desperately the three dug as fast as they could, ignoring their bloody fingertips. Prince was diggin from his side, Anxiety found his hand first. He pulled on Prince’s arm as the other two tried to clear the earth around. Soon, though not as soon as Anxiety would have liked, Roman was laying in his arm gasping. Anxiety peppered his dirty face with kisses, refusing to let him go even as the others reached out for their own reassurance that their friend was alive and well. 

“Took you long enough.” Prince finally heaved once he had caught his breath. Hysterical laughter bubbled up out of his throat and if it weren’t for Logan being the voice of reason he may not have ever moved again. 

Back home they deposited Prince on his bed and Logan collapsed next to him. They exhausted pair were immediately asleep. 

“I’m going to patch them up, roman really did a number on his hands when he broke through his coffin. While I’m doing that I need you to check on Thomas.” 

His stomach dropped at the thought of being away from Prince even an instant, he shook his head violently. 

“Anxiety, I need you to do this right now. I’d really like to stop Prince’s bleeding but I can’t do that if I have to go check on Thomas. Take a few breaths then go.”

Slowly Anxiety worked his way through one of the breathing exercises, materializing in Thomas’ room, looking around in puzzlement. He finally spotted him, he had pressed himself into a corner and drawn his knees up to his chest. Anxiety could hear him muttering and realized he was grounding, trying hard to stave off an attack. Slowly he sat down in front of him, gently placing one hand on his knee and waiting for Thomas to make eye contact with him. 

“What’s happening?” He finally asked in a teary whisper. 

“All good things, believe it or not.” Anxiety tried for his usual level of of confident sarcasm, Thomas gave him a look that said he definitely did not believe him. “I’m serious we’ve got prince back, I’m sure you felt that. We only lost logic for like a second. Now we know that these daymares can be defeated.” Although Chaos is still running around and we haven’t seen mine. He thought to himself. Well not really to himself as Thomas’ eyes widened and his heartbeat picked back up. 

“Um...it’s been a crazy day. And I think sleep is the answer.”

“You always think sleep is the answer.” Thomas snorted, but he stood up and climbed under the covers. 

“Well this time I’m right. Were so close to out of this mess.” He said trying hard not give shape to any of the doubts he felt. 

“Anxiety?” 

“Yes?”

“I threw out all my film equipment.” The poor kid sounded so heartbroken that Anxiety felt kinda bad when he let out a snort. 

“Sorry,” He said to Thomas’ wounded look. “ Like we would let you do that, Dad saved that stuff as soon as your back was turned.” 

Thomas smiled and settled into is bed.

“I’m gonna go cuz I know you don’t really sleep when I’m around. “ Thomas tried to protest but the exhausted boy was already mostly asleep. Anxiety smiled at him and slipped back into Thomas’ mind. Once inside he quickly made his way to his room, wanting to change and wash the blood and dirt from his hands, he probably should have done that before he saw Thomas. Oh well. 

No in clean clothes he walked out of the bathroom and back into his own and was surprised to find someone sitting cross legged on his floor. He wore the same outfit as Anxiety but in blinding white. He smiled easily up at Anxiety and twirled Anxiety’s revolver between his fingers. He cursed himself for leaving it on the bed with his dirty clothes. 

“Sit down.” The other man said, and his voice was so serene that Anx found himself doing as he was asked. Once he was seated, a mirror image of his opposite, the white clad man lay the revolver on the floor between them, as well as a gleaming white copy of it. 

“Who are you?” He finally worked up the nerve to ask, “Why haven’t you killed me already?”

“Oh Anxiety, I don’t want to hurt you, I just want to take care of Thomas. You could call me,” He paused for a moment as if looking for the right word. “Hope.”

“Hope?”

“Yes, if you are Thomas’ doubt, his fears, his sense of mortality than i am the opposite. I am pure unadulterated self-confidence, hope and sense of invincibility. Can you imagine Thomas’ life with Morality, Prince Logic and me? Can’t you see how much happier he’d be? I could be a Savior for him” 

Anxiety could see it, Thomas facing every situation with hope and self assurance. Taking risks and getting full nights sleep. Prince had said it, he dreamed up their opposites. Not necessarily evil versions of themselves, just opposites. Slowly Hope slid his beautiful white gun towards him. Anxiety picked it up examining it. 

“Do this for thomas. He deserves to be happy, doesn’t he.” 

Yes he does, Anx thought and raised the gun.


	4. Invincibility and The End

“Stop!” Prince called, letting the door fall open with a thud.

Anxiety jumped so hard he dropped the gun, turning to look at Roman. He looked fierce standing in the doorway. His hair was still a mess, dirt caked to him along with smears of blood. Even with his hands wrapped in white bandages until they were all but useless, he looked ready to fight the world and win. 

“Prince this is best for every one, Hope will be a much better trait to have around. “

“Hope? That's not hope, don’t forget I dreamt him up. That’s Invincibility and trust me we do not want him around. Do you really want thomas swaggering around without a survival instinct, becoming some sort of crazed dare-devil adrenaline junkie?”

The thought caused a cold sweat to break out across his body, but Invincibility’s serene voice was still echoing through his head. “He will be happier.” He said in a broken whisper picking up the gun again and pressing it to his head.

“I swear to God, Anxiety, you pull that trigger and I will just kill him and bring you right back.”   
Anxiety could only stare, trying to figure out what to do. Carefully Roman tried to step closer to him. The movement caused Invincibility to Pick up Anx’s own gun and point at Roman. That was the only push Anxiety needed. While Invincibility’s attention was fixed on Prince he swung the gone around and shot his opposite. His body dissolved into grey smoke and Anxiety dropped the gun and heaved. Roman gathered him in his arms, rubbing soothing circles and whispering to him. It to Anx a minute before he could hear what Prince was saying. He was apologizing, over and over again. 

“Why are you sorry?” Anxiety whispered, wiping tears from his face and turning so he could face Roman. 

“I’m so sorry. This is all my fault, I know I can never do anything to earn forgiveness for this. I’m just so sorry, I’m so sorry.” 

“I forgive you.”

“What?” 

“I forgive you, of course I do.” He pressed a kiss to Roman’s forehead, realizing he was shaking just as much as he was. 

“Come on we should go back to the others, they sent me to find you because you had been gone so long. “ 

In the hallway they ran into Morality, he smiled brightly at them despite the fatigue that was written into every line of his face. “Come on you guys, you had me worried. Get inside.” 

Inside the room Chaos was waiting for them. He raised a finger to his lips pointing to Logan still asleep on the bed. “Isn’t he sweet.” He cooed, reaching out to sweep Logics bangs off his face. Morality bristled and would have charged forward if it weren’t for Prince’s hand on his elbow. 

“Your bow is still down in the kitchen.” Anxiety whispered.

“I don’t care.” Morality growled, as Anxiety expected. Roman, however, had not seen mid-crisis Dad and was very surprised. Quietly Anx passed the gleaming white gun still gripped in his hand to Dad. Morality grinned an awful grin, calmy leveling the gun at Chaos. The wild traits face fell and he quickly lifted his hand off Logan who was now awake and frozen on the bed. One last shot rang out, the grey smoke that was once Chaos quickly dissipated. 

Silence was all that filled the room for a moment. Prince propped an elbow on Anx’s shoulder and leaned heavily on him. “You should get some more rest.” Anxiety said giding him back to the bed. 

“Yes,” Prince said, “I’m exhausted.” A look of horror passed over his face as he realized what he had done.

“Hi Exhausted,” Three matching groans filled the room. “I’m Dad.” The groans resolved into chuckles. 

The four of them crammed together on Prince’s bed, quickly falling asleep. Yes there would be nightmares, yes there was a long road of healing ahead for Them and Thomas, but they were safe and warm and for a moment everything was okay.


End file.
